Pearse Doherty (Donegal, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I dtús báire, is mian liom mo dhlúthpháirtíocht a chur in iúl do mhuintir Chorcaí agus pobal iarthar Phort Láirge sna ceantair sin inar tharla tubaiste tromchúiseach inné nuair a bhí tuillte ansin. Bhí tionchar mór ag na tuillte ar go leor tithí agus gnóthaí ar fud an cheantair sin agus bhí go leor damáiste déanta. I take the opportunity to extend my solidarity, and that of my party, to the people of Cork and west Waterford who experienced serious flooding yesterday. I commend all of those who were on the frontline trying to save businesses, homes, and indeed, people, in their efforts. Many homes and businesses have been impacted and there has been very serious damage. The town of Midleton is the epicentre of this disastrous flooding and locals are describing it as the worst in living memory. Households and businesses are seriously damaged, roads are completely impassable, schools and local services for vulnerable people are badly impacted, and many homes are without power. A boil water notice is also in place and water stations have been set up in the Gaelscoil. It is a very tough time for the communities affected but their community spirit has shone through. Just one example of that is Sarsfields GAA club, which, in an effort to protect its community, made the decision to open its floodgates and have seen its pitch destroyed and clubhouse damaged. I know the Taoiseach is due to arrive in Cork around now and I hope he tells the community there that it will have the full support of the Government in recovering, rebuilding and putting in place the protections against the impacts of future storms.

We are fortunate that no lives were lost, given the fact that elderly citizens in hospitals right through to toddlers in crèches were left in flood waters. Many of the homes and businesses affected have no flood protection insurance so there is an urgent need to ensure emergency funding is provided to the local authorities involved and to the individual families and businesses. I ask the Tánaiste that all emergency funding necessary will be made available without delay. Will he spell out what that will look like and when it will be made available? We know parts of County Cork are prone to flooding. The Tánaiste knows this well. Yet, flood relief works are continuously being delayed. In Glanmire, which was once again hit by serious floods yesterday, the people of that area have been crying out for flood protection for over 20 years. The delays of the flood relief scheme, which spent years sitting on the Minister's desk, have come home to roost. These types of delays need to be addressed. That scheme disgracefully took three years to receive ministerial consent and because of those delays, work has only just now started. It is not good enough and many residents will justifiably be feeling angered about that this morning.

I am sure the Tánaiste agrees that we also need engagement between the Government, Met Éireann and local authorities to develop a more localised warning system. That would be a very positive step. Does the Tánaiste accept there could have been more of a concerted effort to ensure that families and businesses were sufficiently warned of yesterday's flooding? What will the Tánaiste do to ensure other flood protection schemes will be expedited so that the risk can be minimised in those parts of Cork most prone to flooding? Crucially, as families, businesses and communities wake up to the devastation of the floods that took place and which gripped their communities yesterday, those people who have seen their homes and businesses devastated by the flooding want to know they will not be made to jump through hoops and go through all of this red tape to access emergency funding. When will they get the vital support? Will the Tánaiste spell out to people who do not have flood insurance because these communities were hit before by floods, what will happen, what support will be provided by Government and when will it meet them on the ground?

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